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Seven awoke to the familiar sensation of B'Elanna's
breath warming her belly. She smiled and moved her hand under the
blanket and onto B'Elanna's head. "Come out of
there," Seven said without opening her eyes. "You are
going to suffocate."

B'Elanna growled onto Seven's belly one last time
and then crawled up her wife's body. Her face peeked out
from under the covers just as Seven opened her eyes. "I was
talking to my daughter and I will not suffocate,"
B'Elanna said as she stretched and kissed Seven's chin.

"I do not want to risk it." Seven wrapped her arms
around B'Elanna's bare shoulders. "Perhaps you
should use a triox compound before you attempt this again."
Seven moved her hand and gently caressed B'Elanna's
cheek. "I am sure Opaca would give me a hypospray if I
explained your preoccupation with crawling under the
blankets."

"Very funny," B'Elanna said and shifted her
weight onto her elbow. "You never seem to mind me crawling
under there when I'm seeing to your needs." Her hand
drifted down and brushed across the tightly curled blonde hairs
at the junction of Seven's leg. "Maybe I should stop
that too?"

"You have not suffocated yet," Seven said logically.
"Perhaps I was overreacting." She held
B'Elanna's hand in place over her most intimate region.

"Oh really?" B'Elanna raised both eyebrows
almost to her hairline. "So, do you think I should test this
new theory of yours?"

Seven reached out and tangled her fingers in
B'Elanna's hair. It was down, loose, and full of static
from her time under the blankets. "I love you," she
whispered, her voice suddenly trembling. She pulled B'Elanna
toward her, cradling her on her chest. Even with Seven's
swelling stomach, they were a perfect fit. B'Elanna's
body naturally molded around Seven's, her leg finding its
perfect spot on the former drone's thigh below her belly.
Seven squeezed her eyes shut and clung to B'Elanna.

"Are you okay?" B'Elanna asked. She rubbed her
wife's ribs and then down to her belly, and finally circled
her navel.

"Yes. I am just happy." Seven reached down and held
B'Elanna's hand and kissed the top of her head.

B'Elanna moaned happily and nuzzled Seven's chest.
She loved the creamy smoothness of her wife's skin, the way
it looked like cream with a hint of strawberries tinting it.
Sometimes she could swear that the strawberry color of her
beloved's skin had also flavored her as well. B'Elanna
kissed the skin she was studying, letting her lips linger as her
tongue reached out to taste the softness.

"Mmm," B'Elanna murmured. "You taste
delicious." Her mouth migrated over to the sweet bud of
Seven's nipple. It hardened instantly and B'Elanna drew
the tender flesh between her lips so that her tongue could
flicker across it.

Seven tried to answer but could only manage a very unBorg-like
squeak. B'Elanna laughed as she moved to the other side so
that neither breast would be neglected.

B'Elanna's eyes lit up as she began crawling under
the blankets, carefully easing past Seven's belly. She
inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma of her wife's arousal
just as the door chime sounded.

"No," Seven said as she held B'Elanna under the
blanket. "They will leave."

The door chime sounded again and B'Elanna rested her
forehead on Seven's hip and then she laughed.
"They're not leaving," she said from under the
blankets. The door chimed again and the Klingon began giggling.

"This is not funny," Seven said with a growl. She
yanked the blankets off of her naked wife.

"No," B'Elanna said as she climbed up
Seven's body. "But if I don't laugh I will
take my bat'tleth to whoever is at that door." She
kissed Seven, her lips lingered, and she tried to absorb as much
of her sweetness as she could.

"I'll do my best," B'Elanna promised as
she tossed the sheet over her wife's gloriously naked body.
She grabbed a robe and went to the living area.

"Take your bat'tleth," Seven yelled from the
bedroom.

B'Elanna paused next to the door, but decided that arming
herself was probably not the best course of action.
"Yes?" she demanded as the door hissed open.

"Come with me," Tach said as he grabbed
B'Elanna's robe and yanked her into the corridor. He
pulled her out of the way as Nara rushed into her quarters.

"Hey!" B'Elanna yelled and pulled her robe
closed.

"It is time." Tach continued down the corridor with
B'Elanna in tow.

"Ouch," the Klingon said as she stubbed her toe.
"Damn it, Tach, what the hell are you doing?" she
asked, hopping on one foot.

"You have agreed to the sacred bond. It is the time of
the rising sun," he said as if that explained everything.

"And it couldn't wait until I finished making love
to my wife?" B'Elanna demanded, yanking him to a stop.
She reached down and rubbed her toe, happily noticing that she
had not drawn blood.

Tach stared at her for a moment and then shook his head and
laughed. "Didn't you get enough of her yesterday
afternoon or last night?"

"As a matter of fact, no. I didn't." She
crossed her arms over her chest. "Hey how do you know
what or when we "

"Oh please, all the sound proofing in the universe
couldn't keep that a secret," he said. He yanked her
down the corridor. "Besides, there's a pool going on as
we speak."

"What kind of pool?" B'Elanna jogged to keep up
with her taller friend.

Tach stopped and pinned her in his gaze, his eyes sparkling
with mischief. "They're betting on the first night you
two don't have intimate relations," he said.
"Nara put twenty of her rations on a year and a half from
now."

"You let her bet on my uh, my "

"Your sex life," he said with a smile. "I put
my rations on two years from now."

"Paris," B'Elanna said with a growl.
"I'll bet he started this damn thing. I'll kill
him."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just be a little
more quiet?" he asked as he took her arm and moved her
toward his destination.

"I don't think that's really an option,"
she said. Her face blushed bright red and a wicked grin covered
her features. She cleared her throat and tugged her robe closed
as they entered the turbolift. "Where exactly are you taking
me? I mean, I am half naked."

"So I noticed," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"B'Elanna?" Seven called out. She rolled onto
her side and tried to look out of the door into the living room.
"Did you kill them, my Be'nal?" she asked with a
smile.

"No, darling," Nara said sweetly as she barged into
the bedroom. She scanned the room and then went to the closet and
rifled through the clothing.

"Where is my wife?" Seven demanded, struggling to
get out of the bed. Her huge belly had completely shifted her
center of gravity and she still hadn't been able to master
simple tasks like sitting up.

"It's time," Nara said as she found a robe. She
turned around and laughed at Seven. She was trying to get off of
her back but looked like a sickly turtle wrapped in a rumpled
sheet.

"Time for what?" Seven grunted as she fought to sit
up.

"Come on," Nara ordered. She took Seven's hand
and pulled her to her feet. The sheet fell away and Nara stared
at her friend, her eyes taking a complete inventory of the lanky
blonde's attributes. "How can anyone with a belly that
big look so incredible?"

"What have you done with my wife?" Seven asked as
she took her robe. She shoved her arm into one sleeve, and in her
haste, almost ripped out the seams. Her second arm didn't
have as much luck, and she ended up struggling to find the
opening.

"It's time for your bonding, my clumsy oaf,"
Nara said with a laugh. She grabbed the robe and guided it onto
Seven's arm. "Now, let's go."

Seven raised an eyebrow, but followed her short friend. When
they reached the door, Seven paused.

"What?" Nara asked.

"B'Elanna was displeased the last time I left
our quarters dressed only in a robe." Seven pulled the belt
tighter. "She was quite unhinged, and I do not like to
intentionally upset her."

"Yes, Seven," Nara covered her mouth to hide her
wicked smile. "But I don't think that this robe would
have upset her. I heard the other robe was silk see
through very short, and left nothing to the
imagination." She had heard about the ill-fated journey from
Neelix. Apparently Seven had a craving for fresh fruit in the
early morning hours and went to the mess hall. She grabbed one of
the robes that B'Elanna had given her as a romantic gift,
not worrying that it was mostly see though. B'Elanna did not
appreciate the fact that half of the late night shift ended up
escorting Seven back to her quarters, clamoring for the right to
her carry her tray of sliced fruit.

"A valid point," Seven said. "I have never
understood why humanoids have such an aversion to nudity."

Nara opened the door and took Seven's arm. "It
wasn't any aversion that upset B'Elanna. It was the
line of men following you back to your quarters."

"There were several women as well," Seven pointed
out.

"No doubt." Nara smiled and guided Seven toward the
turbolift. "How would you feel if B'Elanna paraded
through the ship half naked with the crew following to get a
good look?"

"I thought you might." Nara shoved Seven into the
lift. "Now, you and I have some work to do."

"I do not think I like the sound of that," Seven
said slowly.

"That's probably because you are a very intelligent
woman." She turned to the comm panel. "Deck six."
Nara smirked and leaned against the wall of the lift and watched
the decks flicker past.

"What do you mean take my robe off?'"
B'Elanna asked as she glared at Tach. She was in the orchard
standing next to a small hut made with furs and she didn't
like where the conversation was heading.

"I mean take off the robe," he said as he
pointed at the hut. "But for goddess sake, do it inside
the hut. I don't need Seven breaking all the bones in my
hand like she did Tom Paris." He went to the hut and flipped
back the hanging fur that worked as a door. "Now, move it
before Nara gets here with Seven. You can't see her until
the ceremony."

B'Elanna grumbled but moved toward the door. "What
am I supposed to do once I go in here and take off my robe?"

"Great goddess above and below are all Klingons this
dense?" Tach pointed inside the hut. There was a steaming
bath filled with rose petals and apple blossoms and a long cotton
robe hanging on the wall of the hut. "You naked
bath robe Any questions?"

"A ritual bath." B'Elanna nodded her head and
then smacked his stomach with the back of her hand. "Why
didn't you just say so?"

"I thought it was pretty self-explanatory." He
shoved her into the hut. "Oh you're supposed to
wait in reflective meditation until I come for you," he
added as he flipped the fur door closed.

"Gee thanks," she mumbled and looked around the hut.
She dipped her fingers into the steaming water. "Well, at
least the water is nice and hot."

"Explain again," Seven ordered as she and Nara
climbed off of the turbolift. Several passing crewmembers watched
as she passed, wondering if the Borg Collective had an affinity
for wearing robes.

"First you take the ritual bath, then you put on the
sacred robes. You then have to spend some time in quiet
reflection about your feelings for B'Elanna," Nara
explained.

"B'Elanna does not do quiet reflection," Seven
pointed out. "Is Tach explaining all of this to her?"

"Yes," Nara said, but then paused. "But
I'll check on her as soon as I get you settled. My husband
isn't known for his ability to explain sacred rites."

"Why must we do this in the orchard?" Seven asked
when they neared the doors to the new arboretum.

"Well, we're supposed to do it outdoors with the
goddess and her creations around us. This is the most natural
setting on board." Nara stopped in front of the door.
"Let me make sure B'Elanna is in her hut. You two
can't see each other until the ceremony."

"You'll live," Nara said with a smirk and she
went into the arboretum.

"If my Be'nal finds out that you left me standing
out here dressed like this, you may not," Seven called out
as Nara disappeared behind the closing doors.

Several minutes later Nara finally had Seven prepared.

"Well?" Tach asked when Nara came out of
Seven's hut. "Did you irritate her sufficiently?"

"Yes." She tucked her arm under his. "How come
I had to piss off the one who's capable of bending duranium
deck plating?" She led him toward a larger hut set up at the
back of the small orchard.

"Because, my wife, you run faster than I do." Tach
opened the flap and entered the hut. It was large, and had a bath
big enough for two. Nara began undressing as Tach lit the candles
around the room and brought a container of scented soaps to her.

"We'll give them an hour while we prepare and then
I'll go dress them both." She climbed into the tub,
pausing to dip her fingers into the water and then she wet her
forehead as she said a silently blessing.

Tach stepped into the bath beside her and began lathering her
back. She turned and wet his forehead and he closed his eyes and
thanked the goddess.

"Quiet contemplation," B'Elanna whispered as
she paced the tiny hut. She had finished bathing and was wearing
the cotton robe but she was getting tired of waiting. She
wondered what Seven was doing, then smiled and thought about the
love she had already been blessed to share with her wife. Perhaps
the idea of contemplation wasn't so bad after all. She
closed her eyes and pictured Seven on Jusari Prime, holding her
hand as they walked through the forest and watched the animals.
In some ways she missed the planet and the solitude it provided.
Still, it was good to be back home on Voyager.
B'Elanna stopped and her smiled widened. Voyager
truly was a home now that she lived with Seven, and when the baby
arrived, it would be even more special.

"B'Elanna?" Nara folded back the flap.
"Ah, you're ready." She came into the hut carrying
a bundle of clothing.

"How's Seven?" she asked.

"She is doing fine." Nara smiled. "I need to
get you ready for the ceremony, then I can go dress her as
well."

"Do we get to know the meaning behind all of this?"
B'Elanna waved her arm indicating the hut and bath.

"You have been cleansed of all worldly concerns,"
Nara began. "Which is why my husband and I tried our best to
aggravate you on the way here. You came in full of outside
thoughts. When your thoughts are only of your beloved, the
bonding can take place."

"Well, tell Tach he did a great job." B'Elanna
smiled as she studied the bundle in Nara's arms. It was a
natural fiber, deep green and it looked soft. "I was about
to toss Tach into the tub if he didn't give me some
information."

"Well, he just had his own bath. We just finished our own
sacred cleansing." Nara smiled and unfolded the emerald
green fabric. It was a simple dress, and once it was open, it
looked like silk. "Tell me about the first time you knew you
loved Seven." Nara put the dress on a stand nearby.

B'Elanna's face seemed to glow from some internal
source. "Well, I wasn't exactly thrilled about it at
the time." B'Elanna let Nara remove her robe. The hut
was warm from the tub's steam, but the air was still cool
against her bare skin. She felt goosebumps erupt on her arms and
legs. "Seven and I had been on the planet for a few weeks,
and she was really making me angry. Then I looked over at her as
she was stirring the rocks in the fire pit, she didn't want
me to get cold, and it hit me. I'm falling in love with that
irritating woman irritating, beautiful, and
brilliant but still, irritating."

"And do you still think she's irritating?" Nara
asked with a smile. She lifted the silk dress over
B'Elanna's head and smoothed it into place. It was a
good fit, Nara had sewn it the night before, and she had worried
that her memory of B'Elanna's size might not have been
accurate. The rich color complimented B'Elanna's
coloring and brought out a hint of hazel in her brown eyes.

"Yes, she is," B'Elanna said. She had a goofy
grin covering her face. "And I thank Kahless every day that
she's irritating me. I don't now how I got so
lucky." B'Elanna ran her hands over the fabric. It
reminded her of an ancient Earth kimono except it wasn't as
elaborate. "This is beautiful. Where did you get it?"

"Well, while you and your wife were up all night...
entertaining each other I was sewing this." Nara
pointed to the dress. "I don't know if I got
Seven's right. I swear her belly grows more every
second."

"Thank you," B'Elanna said. "I know I was
a little grouchy earlier, but we both appreciate this."

"It is my honor to sponsor you both," Nara said.
"Now, I have to go dress Seven. There's a hairbrush
over there, and some fragrant oils. Go make yourself beautiful
for that wife of yours."

"Yes, ma'am," B'Elanna said with a smile.

Getting Seven ready took a little more effort. When Nara had
gone back to her hut, Seven had still been in the tub. She was
going into her eighth month of the pregnancy, and was already
huge. Nara wondered just how big her belly would get. She helped
Seven out of the tub and dried her, then helped her into her silk
gown. It was the same style as B'Elanna's but was
sapphire blue. The color accentuated her fair skin and pale eyes.

Nara asked Seven the same questions that she had asked
B'Elanna, and was not surprise when Seven revealed that she
had first discovered she was falling in love B'Elanna
several weeks after they arrived on Jusari Prime late one
night while stirring rocks in the fire pit.

Once Seven was ready, Nara went out into the orchard and spoke
with Tach. He had a small metal fire pit with flames burning down
to leave red coals. He smiled as he saw his wife and hugged her
when she came to him.

"Are they ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. She picked up a small container
and opened it, carefully making sure that everything was in its
proper place. Satisfied, she put it next to the fire and went to
get Seven while Tach got B'Elanna. They led the two women
out of the huts blindfolded and stood them in front of the fire
pit facing each other.

"As it has always been," Nara said solemnly.
"We come to our bonding blind to the wisdom of the great
goddess. She sees our mate long before we ever do. Those of us
who are lucky enough to see through the eyes of true love find
the other half of our soul." She stepped behind
B'Elanna as Tach stood behind Seven and they removed the
blindfolds.

"See with the eyes of the goddess," Tach said.

B'Elanna and Seven both smiled like children on Christmas
morning, both looking at the greatest gift anyone could ever
dream of receiving.

Nara took Seven's hand and placed it in
B'Elanna's. "Your hearts are bound already, but it
is now time to link your souls."

Tach handed Nara a pair of scissors and she snipped a strand
of each woman's hair.

"This hair grows like the trees in the forest and the
grass in the fields and it links your souls in the name of the
sacred earth. It grows every day, in tiny amounts that the eye
cannot see, but over time it is revealed to all. Let your love be
like that; let each day add to the love you share." She
tossed the hair into a tiny metal bowl that Tach held out. It was
only an inch tall, squatty, and had a blackened finish as if it
had been scorched many times. "Do you swear by the sacred
earth to give your soul to your mate?" Nara asked as she
gave Tach the scissors and he put them away and retrieved a tiny
knife with a razor-sharp blade.

"I do," B'Elanna and Seven said in unison.

"Your blood flows with the power of raging rivers and the
pounding sea. It also carries the fire of your soul." Nara
took B'Elanna's and then Seven's hand and pricked
a finger, collecting a drop of blood in Tach's bowl.
"Do you swear by the sacred seas and the fire of the goddess
to protect each other with all the passion of these
elements?"

"I swear," Seven said. She was looking into
B'Elanna's eyes, seeing all the love she felt mirrored
back to her in her wife's gaze.

"I do," B'Elanna said. The proud Klingon
ignored the tears trailing down her cheeks. She didn't want
to let go of Seven's hands even long enough to wipe them
away.

Tach stepped forward and took the knife from Nara and gave her
two small vials.

"Take a deep breath, and as you do, draw in all of the
love you feel for each other," Nara instructed. She handed
each woman a vial. "Look into your mate's eyes and then
release that breath and the air it represents into these
vials."

B'Elanna and Seven blew into the vials, then smiled at
each other as they waited for Nara to continue.

Nara held up the vials. "Let this represent the sacred
element of the air we breathe and our spirits, also of the
air."

Tach took the bowl and placed it on a small table next to the
glowing embers. He took two tiny ingots and put them into the
bowl, then added another much smaller ingot.

"Gold is the sign of purity on many worlds," Nara
said. She smiled at B'Elanna and Seven. "I was happy to
see that Earth is one of them. Tach will melt these pure ingots
with the elements from each of you. Your essence will become part
of the metal."

They watched as Tach put the cup on the end of a long metal
arm and then plunged it into the fire pit that served as a kiln.
The coals quickly heated the tiny cup and began melting the
ingots.

"We added a smaller ingot for the child you carry,"
Nara said to Seven. "When I became pregnant, we renewed our
vows and recast our own medallions so that Ty would have his own.
Tach will cast two medallions for each of you. One will be your
bonding necklace and you should wear it forever. The second
smaller one you will wear for your daughter. You will bless it
with your love each day that it lays next to your heart. When
your child reaches the age of consent, you will melt down the
smaller necklaces into one. She will wear it as sign to all that
she was born of a sacred bond."

Tach lifted the cup out of the coals and placed it on a stone
in front of B'Elanna and Seven. He carefully positioned four
molds next to the cup before picking up the vials and connecting
them to a device similar to a hypospray.

"We're almost done," Nara whispered with a
smile. She cleared her throat. "Tach will now use your own
breath to cool the gold for pouring," she said as Tach
injected the vials of air into the red-hot gold. Tiny bubbles
appeared and then he poured the metal into each of the molds. He
filled the larger ones first, pausing to say a silent blessing
before pouring the two smaller ones.

"B'Elanna, do you swear by all that is sacred to you
that you will give your heart, soul, spirit and even blood to
Seven?"

"Yes, gladly," she said as she looked into
Seven's cobalt blue eyes.

"Seven, do you swear by all that is sacred to you that
you will give your heart, soul, spirit and even blood to
B'Elanna?" Nara repeated.

"Yes, forever," Seven said.

Nara took a bowl of water and held it out to the couple.
"Hold this," she whispered. Tach took the molds one by
one and tapped them on the edge of the bowl. Each medallion fell
into the water with hiss and a flash of steam. Tach brought over
a small case and opened it. It held two golden chains.

"Seven," Tach said as he took the bowl. "Reach
in and remove one of each medallion and put it on a chain.

She reached into the water. She could tell it had been cold,
but the heat of the gold had warmed it. She lifted out two of the
pieces, happy when she was able to grab one of each size on the
first try, and threaded them onto the chain with shaking hands.

"Put this onto your wife," Nara instructed.
"You are the only person who can remove it. It she wants to
take it off, only you may unhook this clasp."

Seven put the necklace around B'Elanna's neck. It
took her a moment because she couldn't get her shaking hands
to work. Finally it latched and she smiled. "I love you,
Be'nal," she whispered as she leaned back.

"B'Elanna?" Nara motioned to the bowl.

B'Elanna repeated the process, but had an easier time
with the chain. Her hands were rock steady, but inside she was
trembling. After putting on Seven's necklace, she paused to
caress her wife's cheek. "Forever, my wife," she
whispered.

Tach took the bowl of water and poured it onto the coals. It
sent up a cloud of steam with a hiss. He turned to his friends
and smiled.

"You are bound," Nara said as she looked at her
friends. "You may perform this ritual for couples you deem
worthy. And, if you have another child, you should repeat it
while you are pregnant so that the blood that nourishes the child
will be cast into the medallions."

"Another child?" Seven asked. Her eyes widened and a
look of terror covered her features. "You want me to endure
nine additional months of looking like a shuttle?"

"You are beautiful," B'Elanna insisted. She
wrapped her arm around Seven's waist. "I think you look
very sexy."

"Was I also sexy during my morning sickness?" Seven
asked.

"How do I answer that?" B'Elanna asked Tach.
Her expression revealed that the Klingon knew that no answer
would be the right one.

"You don't," he said. "You take your wife
back to your quarters and celebrate your bonding in
private."

"Smart man," B'Elanna said before tugging Seven
toward the exit.

"Indeed." Seven smiled. She happily let her wife
lead her out of the arboretum.

"Very smart man," Nara said as she hugged him.
"I knew I married you for a reason."

Chapter 42: waiting impatiently

Seven and B'Elanna spent their fist day as a joined
couple locked away in their quarters, but despite what most on
board thought, they didn't spent all of their time making
love. They used the time to fix up a small area in the living
room to use as a nursery. Even after they had used the rations to
repair the ready room, they had enough left over between them to
replicate a crib and some other furniture for the baby. It was a
happy time for them, full of laughter, as the two women trained
as engineers found it almost impossible to put the crib together.
At one point, Seven had threatened to simply assimilate the parts
before she broke into a fit of laughter. After a few hours, the
crib was completed, and they had made love late into the night to
celebrate.

The rest of the night was spent curled around each other
talking and laughing. Seven listened while B'Elanna
remembered her childhood and the things that she missed most
about the Alpha Quadrant. Seven told B'Elanna what she could
remember about her own youth, but most of that part of her life
was lost to her. It was something that left Seven with a profound
sense of loss, but having B'Elanna's loving touch
helped soothe wounds the former drone had thought would never
heal. She went to sleep knowing that they would.

Seven shifted her weight and opened her eyes. She was having
Braxton Hicks contractions, false labor pains. She had already
been to sickbay twice for the annoying prelabor spasms and Opaca
had explained that they were a normal part of the birthing
process and that the best thing to do was to get a massage or
take a hot shower. Seven didn't want to wake B'Elanna
to rub her back because the Klingon would have insisted that they
go to sickbay, just like she had the first two times. She smiled
as she looked down at B'Elanna.

The Klingon was sound asleep, flat on her back, content to
spend the night acting as Seven's personal body pillow. With
the pregnancy advancing, Seven found it almost impossible to find
a comfortable sleeping position. Using her wife as pillow helped
her sleep through the night.

She leaned onto one elbow and studied B'Elanna. Her head
was turned toward Seven, her mouth was relaxed, and Seven had a
perfect view of the tiny mole on her cheek. It was a small speck,
but any time see looked at B'Elanna, she noticed it. It was
one of her favorite things about her wife's appearance.
Seven loved watching her sleep. It was a time she could stare
openly at her beautiful wife without B'Elanna getting
embarrassed. When Seven tried to study her features while
B'Elanna was awake, the Klingon would look away. Years of
being criticized for her appearance had left B'Elanna
self-conscious. Seven wished B'Elanna could see herself like
she did, beautiful, elegant, and the personification of
perfection.

Seven climbed out of the bed, instantly missing the warmth of
B'Elanna's body, but she needed to stretch. Her back
was aching and she didn't want to wake her wife. She felt
another twinge, and sighed. She hated taking a shower alone. It
was so much more enjoyable when B'Elanna joined her.

She climbed into the shower and let the water soothe her
aching back. As she bent her head forward, she saw her necklace
and smiled, then picked it up and studied it. The main medallion
was round, with two circles interconnected. The circle was the
Narian symbol for the goddess as well as the representation of
the romantic heart. She turned it over and smiled at the smaller
medallion. It was a perfect triangle, representing her,
B'Elanna, and their daughter. It had the same two interwoven
circles but there was a smaller circle inside them. She hissed as
one of the contractions made her twist her back. It was just like
humans to come up with such a useless process. True, the Braxton
Hicks contractions helped to prepare her uterus for the actual
birth, but it was annoying to have so many "dry runs"
as Opaca called them.

B'Elanna opened her eyes, sensing that something
wasn't right. She looked at the crumpled sheets where her
wife should have been and sighed. She assumed she was in the
bathroom, then noticed a small red spot on the sheets.

"Seven?" she called out. She climbed out of bed in a
daze and headed toward the bathroom and opened the door. Steamed
rolled out of the room, tumbling in slow motion. B'Elanna
froze in the doorway as she saw her wife sprawled on the floor
next to the shower. Seven's eyes were open but vacant, and
her face was the color of death. The entire floor was covered in
red-black blood.

"No!" B'Elanna screamed as she sat up in bed.
She grabbed her chest, clutching to her bonding necklace as she
realized that she had been dreaming. She looked over at the empty
bed beside her and almost panicked. "It was a dream,"
she whispered to herself as she headed toward the bathroom.
"Stupid Klingon," she said under her breath before she
opened the door. "Seven?" she called out over the noise
of the shower.

There was a pause and then the shower door opened and Seven
leaned out. "Be'nal, why are you up? It is not even
08:00."

"Then what are you doing up?" B'Elanna asked as
she climbed into the shower and hugged her wife. "Umm, you
feel good," she said over the pounding water.

"As do you." Seven turned to face her wife. She
cringed and squinted her eyes.

"You're having contractions? Come on, we're
going to sickbay," B'Elanna said as she shut off the
water.

"But They are stopping and I wasn't
finished with my shower," Seven whined.

"Too bad," B'Elanna said, rubbing a large white
towel over Seven's back. "That's what you get for
not waking me."

B'Elanna escorted Seven to the sickbay, studying her
every move during the turbolift ride. Seven was not amused.

"B'Elanna, I am fine. There was no reason for us to
come to sickbay this early." Seven had her arms crossed
defiantly and she was pouting. Her lower lip was sticking out and
she looked like she had just been sent to her room without
supper.

"You are having contractions." B'Elanna moved
closer to her wife and rested her hand on Seven's shoulder.
"I will not risk anything happening. You aren't due for
another month. What if you're having another temporal
spike?"

"It isn't like that," Seven said as she wrapped
her arms around B'Elanna's shoulders. "Do not
worry. This is just like the other false labor pains."

"But what if it isn't?" B'Elanna sighed
and rested her forehead on Seven's chest. "I don't
want you or the baby hurt," she whispered.

"Very well," Seven said when the lift stopped.
"But the next time I tell you it is nothing, you had better
believe me."

"There better not be a next time," B'Elanna
said as she led Seven toward the sickbay. They entered and
B'Elanna looked for Opaca. She had called before she left
her quarters, so the hologram was already activated and waiting
next to a biobed.

"Well, good morning," Opaca said as she turned to
face them. "Seven, how are you?"

"I am fine," Seven insisted. "Please inform
B'Elanna that I am capable of determining whether or not I
am in labor."

Opaca helped Seven onto the biobed. "Actually, the
Braxton Hicks contractions feel identical to real labor
contractions, so you can only tell once they've stopped or
I've confirmed it with a tricorder." Opaca scanned
Seven's belly.

"See," B'Elanna said. "I told you we
should come down here."

"Well?" Seven asked Opaca.

"You're fine, Seven. False labor, go home and take a
hot shower and get some rest," Opaca said. She turned toward
B'Elanna and pulled her aside as Seven began climbing off of
the biobed. "B'Elanna, are you having nightmares again?
You look awfully worried," she asked quietly.

"Yeah," she said in a whisper. She was embarrassed
by the nightmares and the fact that Opaca had seen through her so
easily.

"I see," Opaca said as she scanned B'Elanna.
She shook her head and smiled. "Hold still, I almost forgot
something." She went and took a hypospray out of a medical
cabinet.

"Seven," B'Elanna asked as she went back to
her. "What would it hurt if you came down each morning and
let Opaca check you? Just to be sure?"

"I am fine," Seven insisted. "I do not like it
here," she added and then let her eyes drift toward the
office where the Doctor was trying to look busy.

Opaca returned and stopped in front of B'Elanna.
"Actually, after that last scan of you, B'Elanna I
think you need to stop by each morning." She injected
B'Elanna's throat with the hypospray.

B'Elanna flinched and stepped back. "Hey! She's
the one who was having symptoms." B'Elanna stared at
Opaca incredulously.

"What is wrong with her?" Seven demanded as she
wrapped her arm around B'Elanna's waist.

"It's about time for B'Elanna to start getting
ready for the baby," Opaca explained. "I just started
her hormone series. She'll need an injection each morning to
get her body ready to nurse when the baby arrives."

"You scared me," Seven accused.

"Yeah?" Opaca stood toe to toe with the much taller
former drone. "And what exactly would you do to get rid of
that fear?"

"Anything," Seven said menacingly.

"So, I guess you won't mind letting me check you
once a day to get rid of your wife's fear?" Opaca
smiled and crossed her arms. She knew she had Seven cornered.

"That would be acceptable," Seven said. She looked
at B'Elanna. "I did not mean to worry you."

"Thanks, I think," B'Elanna said as the doors
hissed shut behind them.

The next three weeks passed quickly, and with each day
B'Elanna and Seven became more excited. B'Elanna also
became more hormonal, caught in the throws of the daily
injections. Seven grew more frustrated as her belly continued to
expand. She swore it was so huge that it would leave warp four
point two seconds before she did.

As time passed, Seven made certain to include Naomi whenever
possible. With Ty on board and a baby on the way, the former
only-child was feeling worried that she would be replaced in
Seven's heart. Seven and B'Elanna had her spend the
night occasionally, just the three of them. Naomi and
B'Elanna had bonded during these slumber parties and Seven
looked forward to the day when their daughter would be old enough
to join them.

The last week before the baby was due, B'Elanna and Seven
began their maternity leave. On the first day of their leave,
Seven and B'Elanna went for breakfast in the mess hall and
then spent the afternoon with Naomi and Ty in the holodeck while
Nara and Tach helped the captain go over the star charts. It was
a busy afternoon that left Seven more than a little tired and
when they dropped off the two children, the former Borg was in
need of a nap. Surprisingly, B'Elanna seemed eager for a
midday rest as well. Since both women had the day off, they
decided to take advantage of it.

Seven awoke alone, but that wasn't unusual. Often, when
B'Elanna would join her for a nap, she would often be well
rested after only an hour or two. Seven needed extra sleep with
the pregnancy progressing. Even with an extra hour of
regeneration each morning, Seven seemed to get tired and cranky
when she had been up for several hours. A nap seemed like the
best solution.

Seven climbed out of the bed and headed toward the bathroom
and the sound of the pounding water. She smiled, thinking that
perhaps she could join her wife for more than just a shower. They
had found the most wonderful uses for the small shower stall that
had nothing to do with getting clean.

As she opened the door, Seven heard a loud moan coming from
the shower and went to investigate. "Lana?" she called
out as she opened the shower door. The Klingon was facing the
wall, her forehead resting against the cool tile with the water
beating down on her back.

"I'm going to kill Opaca," B'Elanna said
and then moaned even louder. "I swear to Kahless
I'm going to delete her matrix."

"What is it?" Seven asked, concern making her throat
constrict. She stepped into the water and massaged her
wife's tense shoulders.

"I think I'm dying," B'Elanna whined,
still resting her head on the tile.

"No," B'Elanna whined as she turned around. She
looked down at her chest. Her breasts were swelling even more
than they had in the past. The artificial hormones had kicked in,
and after three weeks, her mammary glands were working overtime.
"I think my breasts are going to explode," the Klingon
warrior whined.

Seven smirked, relief flooding her features. "Opaca did
say there would be some discomfort." Seven gently examined
her wife's breasts. "I thought you were having a
negative reaction to the injections, but I believe this is
normal."

"Ouch." B'Elanna pulled back as Seven tried to
lift one breast. "I think this is a pretty negative
reaction." She pointed toward her tender breasts. "This
is before I even have milk. Just how big are these things
gonna' get?"

"You will adapt," Seven said with a smile. She took
B'Elanna's hand, kissed her knuckles, and then placed
the Klingon's hand on her belly. The baby kicked and
B'Elanna sighed.

"Okay, so I'm being a baby," B'Elanna said
as she turned off the water. "But it hurts," she
whined.

Seven guided B'Elanna out of the shower and began drying
her with a large towel from the counter. "Your hormones are
undergoing changes as well. It will make you more
irritable," Seven explained gently.

"More irritable? What does that mean?"
B'Elanna asked angrily. She turned and faced her wife and
put her hands on her hips defiantly. "Do you think that
I'm irritable?"

Seven stood there not knowing what to say. She suddenly had a
great deal of respect for B'Elanna's patience. Seven
had gone through months of these mood swings and B'Elanna
had seemed able to adapt with ease, always finding the right
thing to say or do.

"You do, don't you?" B'Elanna asked again.
"You think I'm irritable!" Her eyes shined and her
lip trembled and the strong, brave warrior burst into tears and
ran out of the bathroom.

Seven decided that perhaps she should kill Opaca. She heard
her wife's muffled cries from the other room and quietly
went to find her. Seven was still wet from the shower, and left a
trail of water across the carpet.

"Lana?" Seven asked from the side of the bed.
"I did not mean to imply that you are irritable." She
sat next to her wife, trying to remember what B'Elanna had
said to her when she had been hormonal. "Be'nal?"

B'Elanna sniffled. She was on her side, unable to rest on
her stomach because of her aching breasts. "You don't
think I'm irritable?" B'Elanna wiped her eyes with
the sheet.

"No," Seven said as she rubbed B'Elanna's
back. "You put up with my mood swings all these months.
Could an irritable person do that?"

"No," B'Elanna agreed and sat up. "Oh
god," B'Elanna said as she turned to Seven and scooted
over to her. She rested her head on Seven's shoulder and
hugged her. "What are we gonna' do if you and I are
both hormonal at the same time, my Be'nal?"

Seven shuddered at that thought. "I hope we never have to
find out," she said sincerely. B'Elanna chuckled and
squeezed her a bit closer.

"Well, at least my breasts are getting bigger,"
B'Elanna said when she finally eased back.

"I love your breasts exactly how they are. Why would you
want them any bigger?" Seven asked. She couldn't
understand why B'Elanna would want to change a single thing
about her compact body. Every single millimeter was perfection,
perfectly proportional, toned, and incredibly sexy.
B'Elanna's breasts seemed divinely designed, perfect
mounds of tender yet responsive flesh that fit perfectly in
Seven's hands, and of course her nipples seem tailor made to
fill Seven's mouth. She wouldn't change them even if
she could.

"Well," B'Elanna said as she stared openly at
Seven's much fuller cleavage. "Mine are
kinda' small compared to yours."

"Yours are perfect." Seven reached up and cupped
B'Elanna's chin in her fingers. "We fit perfectly
together. Our differences make us the perfect match." She
leaned over and playfully kissed B'Elanna's nose.
"And they filled my hands. Any more would be wasteful."
Seven covered both of B'Elanna's breasts with her
hands.

B'Elanna inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. "Well,
right now, they're pretty sore." She tried to relax
into her wife's touch.

"Am I hurting you?" Seven asked as she pulled away.

"Don't go," B'Elanna whispered. She
brought her own hands up to hold Seven's soothing touch in
place. "Your hands feel nice. I don't want you to
move."

"Then I shall not." Seven cradled the tender mounds
in her hands with incredible care. She leaned forward and kissed
B'Elanna's forehead. "I shall hold you as long as
you need me although I think it may cause a scene if I have
to accompany you to Engineering or the bridge."

"I'd like to see that," B'Elanna said. She
smiled as Seven continued to place feather-light kisses on the
ridges of her forehead.

"Perhaps you should rest some more?" Seven
suggested. She eased B'Elanna toward the bed.

Seven shifted her weight until she settled her belly into
comfortable position. "I believe that I have spent many
nights in this bed soaking wet," she pointed out.

"Very funny." B'Elanna turned over and then
scooted her back up against Seven's chest. It was a
difficult position to pull off with Seven's huge stomach in
the way, but they managed. Seven brought her hand around in front
of B'Elanna and cradled one breast with infinite tenderness.

"Get some sleep," Seven whispered into
B'Elanna's hair.

"You feel good." B'Elanna covered Seven's
hand with her fingers, not wanting to her pull away. She yawned.
"I love you, Seven," she said as her eyes drifted shut.

"I love you, my wife," Seven whispered. She snuggled
against her and then joined her beloved in a restful sleep.

Seven awoke a short while later and watched B'Elanna
sleep. The Klingon had rolled onto her back and her mouth was
open, a hint of drool was threatening to fall from her lips, and
her hair was matted to the side of her face. Seven thought she
was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. She smiled,
content to just watch for the moment, and then
B'Elanna's eyes opened.

"I watch you too," B'Elanna admitted. She
reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Seven's
ear. "You look so relaxed when you sleep."
B'Elanna smiled and traced her wife's lips with her
fingers. "Sometimes when you're really tired, you stick
just the tip of your tongue out. It's always right in the
middle."

Seven frowned, not liking the sound of that and then nipped
her wife's fingers.

"It's adorable," B'Elanna assured her.

"Do you still hurt?" Seven reached out and rubbed
B'Elanna's chest.

"Not as much. Sorry I was so emotional earlier." She
lifted Seven's hand and kissed her palm. "You were
really great."

"I love you," Seven said as if that explained
everything, and perhaps it did.

"Shall we get up?" B'Elanna asked. "Maybe
have a late lunch?"

"More like an early dinner," Seven said as she
checked the clock. "I'll cook. You rest on the
couch."

"That sounds nice." B'Elanna stood and came
around the bed and helped Seven sit up, then pulled her to her
feet. "You sure you feel up it?"

"I am used to these hormones," Seven pointed out as
she found a loose fitting dress to put on. She dug through the
closet until she found another loose dress and handed it to
B'Elanna. "Put this on," she ordered.

"Anything tight on your breasts will be
uncomfortable." Seven tilted her head to one side as
B'Elanna shook her head and continued scrunching her face.
"Are you sure?" Seven asked skeptically.

"Yep," B'Elanna said. She went to her dresser
and retrieved a pair of sweatpants and an oversized tee shirt.
"See? Nice and loose," she said after she lowered the
shirt over her head. "Now, where's my dinner,
woman?" she asked playfully.

"Go wait on the couch. I will prepare it, wife."
Seven swatted B'Elanna on the behind.

Ten minutes later B'Elanna was stretched out on the couch
feeling quite spoiled. Her pregnant wife had almost finished
replicating her something that smelled wonderful, she had a cold
glass of apple cider in her hand and her feet were perched on the
arm of the couch.

The door chime sounded and B'Elanna started to stand.

"Stay," Seven ordered as she came out of the small
kitchenette. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ty
standing in the corridor alone alone and completely naked
with his face and chest covered in chocolate.

"Evan!" He beamed happily, holding out his chocolate
covered hands.

"Tyralanar, where are your parents?" Seven asked as
she knelt next to him. "And where are your clothes?"
She picked up the naked bundle and settled him onto her hip as
she looked up and down the empty corridor.

"Ty?" B'Elanna sat up and stared at the messy
bundle in her wife's arms.

"Ba! My Ba!" He squirmed until Seven put him down
and then he sprinted to the Klingon.

"This is most unusual." Seven went to the closet to
retrieve some clothing for Ty. She and B'Elanna kept some of
his outfits in their closet because they kept him on many nights
when they didn't have duty the next day. It gave his parents
a chance to be alone and she and B'Elanna loved having him.
"How did he get here?" Seven asked.

"Clothes off," he informed her and grabbed for her
cider. She helped him take a gulp and then put the glass back on
the coffee table.

"That much I can see for myself," B'Elanna told
him. "Where are you parents?"

"Ty fix the door," he said proudly.

"I think we need to check the security locks on our door
as well," B'Elanna said. "If he figured out
theirs, he'll figure out ours." B'Elanna looked up
at Seven who had brought the clothes over along with a wet
washcloth.

"Evan's baby." Ty pointed to her belly.

"And Ba's baby too," Seven said as she picked
him up.

"I should call Tach and let him know the little rascal is
here." B'Elanna stood. She looked at Seven trying to
wash Ty's face. He was making a game of avoiding the
washcloth. "Seven, I think you might as well just give him a
bath." She shook her head and smiled. Ty avoided the cloth
like a Da'har master avoiding a bat'tleth strike.

"Bath!" Ty yelled and bounced on Seven's hip.

"Perhaps that would be best." Seven looked down at
her chocolate covered dress. She carried him into the bathroom
while B'Elanna went to the nearest console.

B'Elanna tapped the console. "Torres to Tach,"
she said as she waited for the image to appear on screen. She
waited another moment, listening to the water filling the tub in
the bathroom. Ty was squealing, obviously having a wonderful time
after his naked adventure through the corridor. Tach had made
arrangements to swap Quarters with Ensign Miller and Enzati who
had shared a room on one side of B'Elanna's quarters.
The Narians wanted to be close B'Elanna and Seven. The two
ensigns had jumped at the chance because it meant they would get
to share a larger doubles quarters in the VIP area. Voyager
was running out of places to put its growing crew.

"Tyralanar, this water is to clean you, not to be used as
a projectile," Seven said over the sound of the filling tub.

B'Elanna smiled and tapped the console. "Torres to
Tach," she said again.

*"What?"* Tach said over the console. There
was no image because the privacy code was in place.

"Tach," B'Elanna asked sweetly. "What are
you doing?"

*"I was in the shower,"* he said impatiently.

"And what is Nara doing?" B'Elanna asked with
an evil grin.

*"She was in the shower with me,"* he said
pointedly. Obviously they had been doing more than getting clean.

"And what is Ty doing?" B'Elanna asked sweetly,
pushing her luck.

*"He's taking a nap,"* Tach said. He was
breathing heavily. *"Why?"*

"I don't think he is," B'Elanna said as
her smile widened. "I think he's enjoying his own naked
time."

*"What are you talking about?"* His voice
drifted off as he walked away from the console in his quarters. *"Tyralanar!"*
he yelled. B'Elanna heard his footsteps as he jogged back to
the console. *"He's gone. Ty's gone. Do you
know where he is?"*

"Well, right now, my wife is giving him a bath,"
B'Elanna said.

*"I'll be right there,"* he said and
then the console channel closed.

B'Elanna laughed and went to the bathroom door and looked
in on Ty. He was in heaven, and who could blame him. He had a
gorgeous blonde Borg tending to his every need. Seven was
kneeling next to the tub handing him each toy as he would launch
it across the small room. It was his version of fetch, with Seven
filling the role of the pet targh.

"I spoke with Tach," B'Elanna said as she
watched her wife with Ty. She smiled, feeling her heart fill
until it threatened to burst. She imagined Seven with their
daughter and it was almost too much. "He's on his way
over."

"Fa?" Ty looked up from drowning a rubber ducky.
Harry Kim had given it him. Nara thought it was the ugliest thing
she had every seen, so Seven offered to keep it for Ty. It was
one of his favorite bath toys.

"Yes," B'Elanna said. "Your Fa is on his
way over and he didn't sound very happy."

"Ty fix Fa's door," he informed her once again.

"I'll just bet you did," B'Elanna said.
She wondered how many repair teams it would take to
"unfix" the door. "I think Ty's little
adventure interrupted something," she added with a smirk.

"Sure," B'Elanna said as the door chime
sounded. She went to the door and opened it. Tach was in a robe,
still dripping wet. "Well, hello Fas'fa," she said
with a laugh. Tach's hair was dripping shampoo down one side
and he didn't look pleased. "How's my big
brother?" B'Elanna asked with a wicked smile.

"I am about to spank your nephew," Tach said as he
came into her quarters. "He dismantled the replicator again,
and managed to open the door locking mechanism. All in less than
ten minutes while we were in the shower."

"Go back home and relax. Seven and I will keep him for
the night." B'Elanna pushed him back out the door.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, now go home and have a nice night with your
wife." B'Elanna sighed and shook her head. "If
he's doing this much damage and he's not even a year
and a half old just think what he's gonna' be
doing in another year or two."

"Great goddess above and below," he said.
"I'm never going to survive this."

"Poor thing." B'Elanna laughed.

"Just wait, that child of yours will be even worse,"
Tach said, pausing in the corridor.

"Not a chance," B'Elanna said. "With Seven
and I as her mothers, she's going to be a perfect little
angel who won't even know how to get into trouble. I
guarantee it."

Tach burst out laughing as he walked away and continued
howling with laughter even as he went into his quarters.

"It wasn't that funny," B'Elanna
said as she stared down the empty corridor.

Chapter 43: Surprises

Seven woke up when she heard the faint sound of metal on
metal. Her eyes shot open and she climbed quickly out of bed and
made her way into the living room. The lights were on and Ty was
sitting with a pile of data padds using them as building blocks.

"Ty, you should be sleeping," she said as she
scooped him up into her arms. She carried him back to his sleeper
and settled him down under the blankets.

"Evan zing." He rubbed his eyes. "Hold
Ty." He lifted his arms to her and his lip quivered.

"All right," she said with a sweet smile. She lifted
him up she went to the couch and sat down, cradling him in her
lap. "But no singing," she whispered. "We
don't want to wake your Nana B'Elanna."

"My Ba," he said as he rested his head on her
shoulder and rubbed the soft fabric of her deep blue nightgown.

"Yes, she is," Seven whispered and kissed his head.
She hummed softly.

She looked over at the clock. It was almost time for the
morning watch to start, but Seven and B'Elanna both had
plenty of time now that their maternity leave had begun, which
was why Seven had offered to keep Ty. She figured he would get
into less trouble if his parents had some time alone. Perhaps
they would be less angry given time to deal with the fixed
replicator. Opaca had suggested that Seven and B'Elanna take
at least a week to get everything ready for the baby, and had
B'Elanna insisted that they follow her orders to the letter.

Seven waited until Ty's breathing evened out and then
carried him to his sleeper. She made sure he was covered, then
stood to go back to bed. "Not again," she whispered as
she felt the Braxton Hicks contractions begin again. She had been
to sickbay two more times in the last three weeks. She
didn't want to wake B'Elanna, so she went directly to
the shower and let the water wash away some of the tension.
Forty-five minutes later her back was aching even more so she
decided to try going back to bed.

"Seven?" B'Elanna asked as the former Borg
climbed into bed. "Ya' okay?" B'Elanna
mumbled. She crawled over and draped her arm over Seven's
waist and kissed her shoulder.

"Fine." Seven rolled over. "Rub my back,"
she asked.

"Umm," B'Elanna said and then yawned.
"Sure, love." Her hands moved down and worked the
muscles gently. Even though B'Elanna was only half awake,
her touch was tender and she immediately found the muscles that
seemed to need her touch. "You're tied in knots,"
B'Elanna said as she began waking up.

"Why are you so stubborn?" B'Elanna asked.
"If it is false labor, we'll just come right back
home."

"I am not in labor," Seven insisted again. Her eyes
widened and she looked down just as a splash of clear liquid
covered her feet. She looked at B'Elanna, shocked.

"Well, since you're not in labor,"
B'Elanna yelled. "That would be your water not
breaking." The Klingon was heading toward panic at warp ten.

"Lana?" Seven whispered, her voice full of fear.

"Oh, god, Be'nal I'm sorry." She
wrapped her arms around Seven. "Let's get you to
sickbay. I'll grab Ty and bring him with us."

"I do not know if I can walk," Seven said as she
lowered herself to the bed, gritting her teeth.

"Oh no, you can walk. You are not having this baby in our
quarters. Do you hear me?" B'Elanna began pacing, her
heart racing, then she finally ran to the console. "Torres
to Opaca medical emergency in my quarters."

*"Lieutenant, what is it?"* the Doctor asked
over the comm system.

"I need Opaca and I need her now," B'Elanna
said. "Seven's in labor and she can't walk. Now
you send that damn hologram down here right now," she
ordered as she ran her hands through her hair. It was down and
she tucked it behind her ears and she bit her lip.

*"B'Elanna,"* Opaca said over the comm.
*"We'll beam her to sickbay."*

"Wait," B'Elanna yelled. She sprinted to the
other room and snatched up Ty and ran back to Seven. "Three
to beam to sickbay," she said as she knelt next to Seven.
The former drone was breathing in deep gulps and holding her
belly.

They materialized in sickbay. Seven ended up sitting on the
floor, with B'Elanna at her side holding Ty who was rubbing
his eyes and yawning.

"Just breathe," Opaca said as she knelt next to
Seven. "The contraction will pass, and then we can move you
to the delivery table."

The Doctor stepped out of his office but paused, then cleared
his throat. "Lieutenant, I could take Ty and call his
parents," he offered.

"Okay," B'Elanna said as she handed Ty to the
Doctor. She rushed back to Seven even as Ty began to fuss.

"Lana." Seven reached out and grabbed her
wife's hand. "This child is coming out right
now."

"Do something!" B'Elanna yelled.

Opaca sighed. "It's not coming out just yet. Keep
breathing."

"I am breathing!" Seven yelled.

"She is breathing!" B'Elanna yelled a split
second later.

Ty looked at his two aunts and began crying at the top of his
lungs. The Doctor held him away from his body, not knowing what
to do.

"It's all right," the Doctor said in his most
soothing voice.

"Bad man hurt Evan!" Ty screamed as he tried to
squirm away from the Doctor.

"I am a hologram," the Doctor whined. "And a
very nice one at that and I didn't do this to
her."

"Ba!" Ty howled and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"B'Elanna!" Seven cried out as the contraction
increased.

The Klingon turned her head back and forth between her two
screaming family members like a spectator at a tennis match. She
finally decided that Ty would just have to deal with the Doctor.
"I'm right here, Seven," she said as she squeezed
her wife's hand.

"Ba!" Ty began kicking at the Doctor.

Opaca rolled her eyes and went to the Doctor and snatched Ty.

"Where are you going?" B'Elanna yelled.

"Everyone just calm down." Opaca carried Ty back to
B'Elanna and sat him next to her on the floor.

"Ba," he whispered as he leaped onto her chest and
whimpered. He reached out and touched Seven's hand.
"Evan hurt."

"Shh, Seven's fine," B'Elanna said and
kissed his head.

"Seven is not fine!" The former Borg gave her wife a
deadly glare, then her expression relaxed. She took a deep breath
and sighed. "Is it over?" she asked Opaca.

"No," Opaca said. "That was just one of many
contractions."

"Many?" Seven demanded. "How many?"

"Let's get you onto the delivery table," Opaca
said. She knelt beside Seven who was looking at her like she was
insane.

"You expect me to move?" Seven asked.

"She can't move," B'Elanna said. "My
kid's gonna' come shooting out of there and go bouncing
across the floor."

"Oh, for the love of the prophets," Opaca said. She
scooped Seven up and carried her to the table. Seven's eyes
widened, and then she realized that despite her size, Opaca was
as powerful as she chose to be. Her holographic matrix could be
instantly adjusted.

"Doctor?" Seven looked to her one time mentor.
"Is it safe to move me?" she asked as Opaca was
settling her onto the table.

"Of course, Seven," he said with a smile, happy that
she was speaking to him.

"Evan sick," Ty said as B'Elanna moved next to
the table.

"Could someone please get Tach and Nara down here?"
B'Elanna took Seven's hand.

"Of course." The Doctor rushed into his office.

"All right," Opaca said. "Let's see
what's going on with you." She pressed a button and the
table began tilting until Seven's back was at a forty-five
degree angle. Opaca knelt in front of her and guided her feet to
the stirrups. "Oh my goodness," Opaca said.

"What?" B'Elanna and Seven asked in unison.

"Relax," Opaca told them as she shook her head.
"It won't be much longer at all. Seven is dilated to
ten centimeters."

"Is that good?" B'Elanna asked. She tried to
see what the hologram was looking at. Ty squirmed in her arms and
Seven had her wrist in a death grip.

"It's very good. Ten centimeters is fully dilated.
She can have the baby any time now," Opaca explained. She
scanned Seven's belly.

"What do you mean ten centimeters if fully dilated?"
Seven demanded. "How is our child going to fit out of an
opening ten centimeters?" Seven struggled to lean forward.
"You told us last week that our daughter would be at least
seven and a half pounds. She will not fit."

"She'll fit," Opaca assured her. She checked
her readings and smiled. "The baby has turned and is in
perfect position. She'll be with us any time now."

"Can't you beam her out?" Seven asked.

Opaca stared at Seven for a moment and then sighed. "No.
You will do just fine."

"You are not the one trying to pass a seven and a half
pound child through a ten centimeter opening," Seven whined.

"I'm here," B'Elanna said as she caressed
Seven's hand.

"But I am here," Seven said, pointing at the table.
"And the baby is coming out of down there!"
She pointed to her waist. "I did not adequately research
this. I have changed my mind. You have the child."

"It's a little late for that," Opaca said.
"Uh oh " She looked at her tricorder.

"What?" Seven and B'Elanna asked.

"You're about to start another " Opaca
began.

"Oh, my god!" Seven yelled as she squeezed
B'Elanna's hand.

" contraction," Opaca said.

"Evan!" Ty began to cry.

"Seven!" B'Elanna screamed as her hand was
being squeezed tightly.

The doors to sickbay hissed open and a sleepy Nara wandered in
with Tach at her side. Tach yawned and took in the unfolding
scene.

"You are not going anywhere," Seven said through
clenched teeth, but she did loosen her grip. "You got me
into this. You are staying right here."

Nara laughed and she went to B'Elanna and took Ty.

"This is not funny," B'Elanna said to Nara and
then growled.

"Oh, yes it is," Nara said. She bent down and lifted
Seven's nightgown. "Oh dear. Won't be much longer
now."

"Hey!" B'Elanna slapped Nara's hand away.

"Every one who is not married to Seven out,"
Opaca commanded.

Nara hugged Ty to her chest and rubbed his back. He had
stopped crying. "But we want to see the baby born," she
whined.

"Out," Opaca ordered. "When I get these two
settled down, maybe you can come back in." She turned back
to Seven. "Take deep breaths."

"You take deep breaths." Seven grunted as she gave
Opaca an icy glare.

"Out," Opaca ordered.

"Come on," Tach said as he guided Nara out of the
room. "We'll wait right outside and she can call us as
soon as it's okay."

"B'Elanna," Opaca said gently. "Stand
behind her and help her lean forward. She's going to need to
start pushing soon."

"I am already pushing," Seven said. "I have no
choice. This damn human body is pushing of its own accord."

B'Elanna moved behind Seven and gently wrapped her arm
around her waist and leaned her forward. "Okay, Be'nal.
We can get through this."

Seven spun her head toward B'Elanna. "We?"

"Yes, we." B'Elanna leaned into Seven and
bumped her forehead against her wife's. "You may be
having our daughter, but I am here with you and I will be
here no matter what."

Seven closed her eyes and nodded. She took deep breaths as the
contraction ended. "Okay," she whispered and she
relaxed.

"It's just like the Lamaze simulator,"
B'Elanna said as she rubbed Seven's shoulders. They had
spent hours in the holodeck practicing so that Seven would know
how to breathe properly.

"It is nothing like the simulator." Seven glared at
B'Elanna. "That training exercise was inadequate."
She glared at Opaca. "You sent us to a useless program that
did nothing to prepare us."

"Just breathe and you'll get through this,
Seven," Opaca said as she shook her head.

"This Lamaze is a human delusional construct. It was
created to fool prospective mothers into believing birth is
tolerable," Seven stated. She was panting and leaning
against B'Elanna. "It is all your fault,
B'Elanna."

"Me?" B'Elanna asked.

"You got me pregnant," Seven accused.

"But " B'Elanna looked back and forth
between Seven and Opaca. "I didn't you "

"No drugs," Seven said. "I can tolerate the
discomfort. It is much less that when the temporal spike
occurred."

"Thank Kahless," B'Elanna said as she leaned
over and kissed Seven's temple. "What can I do?"

"You are doing it," Seven said.

B'Elanna wiped the moisture from Seven's forehead.
Her nanoprobes were occupied and weren't bothering with her
sweat glands.

The doors to sickbay opened and Ensign Samantha Wildman
entered. She hurried in, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her
ears. "Opaca, I got here as fast as I could," she said.
"Seven, how are you feeling?"

"She's doing well, Ensign," Opaca said.
"Now, I need you to monitor the fetal heart rate while
B'Elanna changes into a sterile gown. You can help me get
Seven changed."

"Of course," Samantha said as she moved to the
table. "Hi Seven. Naomi's outside. I told her it was
time."

"Thank you," Seven said. "I appreciate your
willingness to assist in this matter." She shifted her
weight and rubbed her back.

"Yeah," B'Elanna said. "Thanks. We
didn't really want Tom helping out if you know what I
mean, and you've got training as a
medic...plus well you have had a baby."

"I'm glad to help," Samantha said.
"I've been working with Opaca in the holodeck
practicing with birth simulations." She grabbed a gown out
of the cabinet and quickly changed into it and put on gloves
before handing a sterile set to B'Elanna. "Here,"
she said, glancing at B'Elanna's floor length
nightgown.

"Oh, thanks," B'Elanna said. She didn't
quite know why she needed a medical gown, but it was better than
wearing her nightgown, especially if they had any more visitors.
She changed quickly as Opaca and Samantha helped get Seven out of
her sleepwear and into a sterile gown.

"The baby's doing fine, Seven." Samantha
watched the tricorder, smiling at the readings. "Her heart
rate is perfect and she's in position. Do you have a name
picked out yet?"

"Actually," B'Elanna said as she went back to
Seven's side. "It's considered bad luck to mention
the child's name before it's born."

"It's part of a Klingon myth," Opaca said as
she checked Seven again, pressing her hand on her belly to feel
the baby's position. "If you say the child's name,
they will come out, and could be born before their time."

"Perhaps we should call her." Seven sighed.

"Pressure's rising," Samantha said as she
monitored the readings. "There's a contraction
coming."

"B'Elanna," Seven said when the contraction
hit. It was stronger than the others had been. "Oh,"
she screamed and grabbed the table with her Borg enhanced hand.
She crushed the metal as she panted.

"I'm here," B'Elanna said, rubbing
Seven's back.

"You need to push," Opaca said patiently.

"Ahh," Seven cried. "I am pushing." Sweat
beaded on her forehead and B'Elanna held onto her as the
contraction continued.

"Hours?" Seven asked. She looked at B'Elanna,
her eyes pleading. "I am exhausted. I cannot do this for
hours."

"You're doing great," Samantha said. "It
took me three hours of hard labor to get this far along."

"How much longer?" B'Elanna asked.

"Not long," Opaca said.

The Doctor stepped out of his office. "Do you need
anything?" he asked carefully from the doorway.

B'Elanna looked at Seven and raised her eyebrows.

"Not at the moment," Seven said to him. "But
when the baby comes, we may need your assistance," she said.

"I'll be waiting in my office," he said
cheerfully. "Just say the word."

"Thanks," B'Elanna said.

"It's my pleasure," he said sincerely. He
paused, looking at the scene and then turned and went to his
office. He sat at his desk, not knowing what to do. He considered
sending an announcement about Seven's labor over the command
system but decided that he didn't want to push his luck.
Seven was Opaca's patient and he wasn't going to do
anything to anger the former drone, not when she seemed to be
letting him back into her life.

"I need to reposition the table." Opaca began
tilting the table even further until Seven was sitting completely
upright.

"Won't the baby fall onto the floor?"
B'Elanna looked at the way the table now resembled a chair
with a giant hole in the seat.

"That's what we're here for," Opaca said.

"We're?" B'Elanna asked.

"Yes," Opaca said with a smile. "You are going
to bring your daughter into this world."

"What?" B'Elanna asked. The Klingon's face
paled. "I thought you were gonna' do it What about
Samantha? She's a mother she knows about babies."

"Who do you want the first person to hold your child to
be?" Opaca asked. "A hologram, Samantha or her
mother?"

"Please, Be'nal," Seven asked. "I know you
can do it."

"I'll do everything right up until you step in and
catch her," Opaca promised.

"But " B'Elanna looked at Seven.

"Come here." Opaca held out her hand to the
frightened Klingon. B'Elanna took her hand and moved down
between Seven's legs.

"Oh, sweet Kahless," B'Elanna said as she saw
how dilated Seven was.

"Shh," Opaca said as she poked B'Elanna.
"You'll make her nervous. She looks perfectly
normal."

B'Elanna nodded.

"Now," Opaca said gently. "When the baby
crowns, we'll see the top of her head coming out. We'll
need to keep gentle pressure on her head so that she doesn't
come out too fast, otherwise Seven might tear."

B'Elanna looked at Seven and then Opaca, and then her
eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed toward the floor
face first. Samantha grabbed the Klingon's arm as she went
down.

"Oh dear," Opaca said with a frown. "Doctor, we
need you." She looked down at the unconscious Klingon and
shook her head.

"What did you do to her?" Seven demanded. She leaned
over to get a better look at her wife. "Is she
injured?"

"Just her pride," Opaca said with a smirk. "Uh
oh, here comes another contraction."

Chapter 44: new arrival

Kathryn Janeway came out of her ready room and took her place
on the bridge.

"Good morning," Chakotay said as she sat.

"Commander," she said with a smile. "Anything
exciting to report?"

"Smooth sailing." He leaned back into his chair.
"We can do that overhaul of the warp coils we've been
putting off."

"I think B'Elanna planned her maternity leave with
just that in mind," Janeway said with a smirk.

"She and Seven are probably both sleeping in while Vorik
is dealing with the overhaul." Chakotay shook his head.
"Some people have all the luck."

Samantha settled B'Elanna onto her back. "Should I
give her a stimulant?"

"No," Opaca said. "She's fine. She just
fainted. No need to mess up her chemistry." Opaca smiled at
Samantha. "A screaming Borg, and fainting Klingon, and this
is still smoother than your delivery."

Samantha nodded, amazed that the hologram was so knowledgeable
about Naomi's birth.

"Wake her up," Seven yelled. The contraction was the
most painful yet.

"B'Elanna," Samantha said forcefully.
"Lieutenant Torres, wake up."

B'Elanna's eyes fluttered and she groaned.

"Come on," Samantha said gently. She started lifting
B'Elanna from the floor.

The Doctor came out of his office, then saw B'Elanna on
the floor and rushed to her.

He knelt next to the ensign. "Fainted?" he asked
Samantha.

"Yep," she said with a smirk.

"Wake her up," Seven said through clenched teeth.
She panted as the contraction gripped her.

"Seven?" B'Elanna eyes opened.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant," the Doctor said smugly.
"Your wife is doing all the work while you are taking a
nap."

"Seven," she said again as she struggled to her
feet. The Doctor guided her to the bed, ready to catch her if she
fainted again.

"She turned again," Samantha said as she scanned
Seven's belly. "It looks like her shoulder is
stuck."

"Do something," Seven ordered B'Elanna.
"Make your child move."

B'Elanna looked back and forth between Opaca and the
Doctor.

Opaca sighed. "Doctor, you monitor the baby. Ensign, you
help Seven push, and B'Elanna, you get back down here and
catch your daughter and I forbid you to faint."

"Klingons do not faint," B'Elanna muttered as
she did what she was told.

"Well, this one does." Opaca yanked B'Elanna
into position.

Seven looked down at her wife, too far to touch, then over at
Samantha, who she liked, but didn't feel close a connection
with like she did with others.

"I want Nara," Seven said to Samantha and then
groaned as she bared down against the contraction.

"Okay, I'll get her," she said as she jogged
out to the corridor.

"The shoulder is pressing on the pelvis," the Doctor
said grimly.

"What does that mean?" B'Elanna asked.

"Right now, it's fine," Opaca assured her.
"We'll see if she turns on her own, if not, I'll
turn her."

B'Elanna rubbed Seven's leg, trying to offer
support. Nara rushed in with Samantha and went to Seven's
side.

Seven looked down at her wife, seeing fear and concern, and
shook her head. "I am not sorry that I am here, Be'nal.
I am just uncomfortable. I love you."

"I love you," B'Elanna said with a smile.

"Yes, everyone loves everyone," the Doctor said.
"Now can we get back to having this child," he said.

Seven glared at him, then let her eyes drift to the office
where he had been exiled.

"I I'm sorry. Please, continue the lovefest.
Seven, B'Elanna I love you both," he said stiffly.
His eyes widened. "The child isn't shifting."

"Oh," Seven groaned and Nara helped her lean forward
while Samantha went around the table to help from the other side.

"What the hell is that?" B'Elanna yelled.

"That's your daughter head," Opaca said gently.
"She's crowning." Opaca was standing beside
B'Elanna, ready to take over if anything went wrong, and she
had her hands over B'Elanna's guiding them into place.

"I see her head!" B'Elanna yelled to Seven.
"She's got hair a lot." She looked at the
head forcing its way into the world, the tiny hairs wet and curly
and dark.

"What color?" Seven asked even as she pushed.

"Dark," B'Elanna said excitedly. Her earlier
lightheadedness was gone as soon as she saw her child coming into
the world.

"Put your hand here, on her head. We don't want her
coming too fast," Opaca placed B'Elanna's hand
onto the baby's head. While B'Elanna gently held
pressure on the baby, Opaca tested Seven's skin, deciding
she didn't like what she found. "Doctor, two ccs of
dirsoraline," she said without looking up.

"What's that?" B'Elanna asked.

"It will help relax her even more make a bit more
room for the little one," Opaca explained as the Doctor
handed her the hypospray. She injected it directly into the
over-stretched skin and the change was immediate as the tightness
lessened.

"Wow," B'Elanna said.

"What is happening?" Seven asked as she leaned
against Nara when the contraction ended.

The Doctor moved up next to Seven and explained how the drug
worked. She listened halfheartedly as she waited for the next
contraction.

"Here comes another one," the Doctor said after a
few minutes.

"Seven, I need you to push as hard as you can,"
Opaca said.

"Umm, Opaca," B'Elanna said. "That may not
be a good idea Borg strength."

"Seven, I need you to push like you have
been," Opaca corrected.

The contraction hit and Seven pushed, but the child refused to
move. "It hurts," Seven said as she kept pushing.

Opaca looked up at the Doctor and he shook his head, frowning.
She turned back to B'Elanna and put her hand over the
Klingon's. "Let me take over," she said as she
eased B'Elanna out of the way. "Seven, stop
pushing."

"I would love to," Seven said. "Try telling my
body that."

"The contraction is almost over," the Doctor said.
"Try not to push, Seven."

"I'm right here," B'Elanna said as she
moved beside Seven and took her hand. Nara stepped back, but put
her hand on the Klingon's waist.

"Is the baby all right?" Seven asked when the
contraction ended.

"She fine," Opaca said. "I just have to move
her a little to the side so that she can come out." Opaca
explained. "Just try to relax, it will make it easier."

"You are going to put your hand .inside me?"
Seven asked. "The baby won't even fit out of there and
now you intend to put your hand up there too?"

"Just take a deep breath and it will be fine," Opaca
assured her.

"It will not be fine," Seven said in a panic.
"That is a one way canal. It is intended for beings to leave
it not to crawl up inside there."

"I am not crawling up inside there. It's just my
hand." Opaca took a deep breath.

"Seven," B'Elanna said as she rubbed her leg.
"She has to turn the baby. She can't come out the way
she is."

"Very well," Seven said, fear lacing her tone. She
took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Nara squeezed her hand.

"Anything on long range sensors, Mister Kim?"
Janeway asked as she stared at the viewscreen. There were times
when space travel was extremely boring. Stars all looked the same
when they flew past at warp speed, beautiful streaks of white
sparkling like rainbows stretching into eternity, but after a few
hours of watching, it tended to lose its charm.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Harry said from his
console.

"Perfect day to sleep in." Chakotay yawned.

"Wonder if B'Elanna would agree to take the bridge
and let me sleep in today?" Janeway asked. "I'll
bet Seven is going crazy being off duty. She never did like just
sitting around doing nothing."

"I'm sure she'll find something to do,"
Chakotay said.

"She's probably coming up with a more efficient
diaper as we speak," Janeway added.

"Borg efficiency takes on motherhood." Chakotay
laughed. "Parenting may never be the same."

"Seven may never be the same," Janeway said as she
checked her comm panel for any interesting reports from the
various departments. There were none.

Opaca reached up and pushed the baby's head. "This
is going to feel a little uncomfortable. I need you to
relax."

Opaca took a deep breath and her matrix flickered as she
readjusted her image output, making her hands smaller before she
tried to move the child. "I'm putting my hand inside,
try to relax."

Seven closed her eyes and inhaled sharply.

"Okay, I've got the shoulder," Opaca said.
"I'm moving her there. Now, just breathe as I
come back out. One more contraction should do it."

Seven opened her eyes and looked up at B'Elanna. "I
want you to do it," Seven said. She glanced down at Opaca,
locking eyes with her. The hologram smiled and dipped her head.

B'Elanna nodded and went back to her position between
Seven's legs. Opaca was there, encouraging her while Nara
took Seven's hand.

"It's time," the Doctor said, watching the
tricorder.

"Nice and steady," Opaca said. "Keep pushing,
Seven." She moved her hands and let B'Elanna take over.
"Gentle pressure on the head," she explained.
"That's it."

Seven leaned forward and squeezed her eyes shut as she pushed.

"She's coming out," B'Elanna said.
"Her head's out!"

"Hold her head. Guide her as she comes out. Just let it
happen," Opaca said with a smile. Her voice was lyrical, and
full of reverence. She moved B'Elanna's hands to
support the tiny head and then used a bulb syringe to clean her
mouth and nose. The baby coughed and her eyes squeezed shut but
she didn't cry.

"She's got ridges on her forehead,"
B'Elanna said, her voice full of wonder.

Seven groaned as she fought to keep pushing. Her face was
covered with sweat and she was trembling. "How many?"
Seven asked through clinched teeth.

"Four of them like me." B'Elanna laughed.

"Ease her out," Opaca said even as she put her hands
over B'Elanna's and they pulled the baby gently.
"The shoulders are clear. Seven, you're doing
great."

"She's out," B'Elanna said as she held her
daughter for the first time. Opaca made sure that B'Elanna
wasn't going to drop the baby and then leaned away to grab a
cleansing towel.

"Let me see her," Seven said as she collapsed onto
Nara. "Why isn't she crying? Babies cry when they are
born."

"Just a moment," Opaca said. She helped
B'Elanna wrap her snugly in a blanket. "Seven, Klingon
babies do not cry when they are born. In battle, a crying baby
would give away your position," she added as she looked down
at the baby. The tiny girl was looking up at B'Elanna with
wide eyes, and her spindly arms were waving in the air.

"She's beautiful," B'Elanna said as Opaca
untangled the cord. She moved beside the bed, easing past Nara
who was trying to get a good look at the baby as B'Elanna
tried to hand her to Seven without stressing the uncut cord.
"Our daughter is beautiful," B'Elanna said as she
held the baby out to her wife.

"Be'nal." Seven took the baby and studied her
tiny features. She laughed. "She has a mole just like
yours." Seven lifted the squirming bundle and kissed her
cheek. "And her eyes look so blue."

"Seven, you're not quite done yet," Opaca said
from between Seven's legs. She reached up and massaged the
former drone's belly. "You still have to deliver the
placenta. One more contraction and then you'll be
done."

"I will comply," she whispered and handed the baby
to B'Elanna. The Klingon couldn't take her eyes off of
the tiny, quiet bundle.

"The contraction is coming," the Doctor said. He
turned to B'Elanna and scanned the baby. "I should
examine her if that's all right?"

"Can I hold her?" B'Elanna asked without
looking up.

"Of course," he said as he continued scanning.
"She's in excellent health." He smiled and looked
at B'Elanna. "She's beautiful just like her
mothers." He continued scanning, then frowned but quickly
changed his expression before anyone else noticed.

"Keep pushing," Opaca said as the contraction hit.
"That's it nice and firm. Good "

Seven nodded as she leaned back and sighed.

"There," Opaca said. "Now, you're
done." She turned to the Doctor. "What about the
nanoprobes?"

"They seem to be migrating down the cord and
deactivating," he said, studying the readings. "Now, I
need to weigh her you'll have to put her on the
pediatric scale over here as soon as we cut the cord," he
told B'Elanna.

"Seven?" B'Elanna asked as she looked at her
wife.

Seven nodded

Opaca reached up and clamped off the cord and then cut it.

"Well, hello there." The Doctor took the baby and
she immediately squirmed and began to fuss. "Just a
moment," he said. The baby clinched both of her hands and
let out a cry and began screaming at a level that left no doubt
as to the impressive strength of her lungs. The Doctor frowned
and held her at arms' length as she continued crying.
"Lieutenant?"

"Oh sweet Kahless!" B'Elanna's
eyes widened.

"I didn't do anything," the Doctor whined.

"What the hell is happening?" B'Elanna asked as
she looked down at her chest. Two dark spots began forming, one
on each side of her chest. Opaca leaned over and looked.

"Your milk just came down," Opaca informed her.
"Klingon's have an instant response to a crying
child."

"It's leaking like a warp core breach," she
yelled as she stared at the growing stains. She looked over at
the Doctor and her screaming child.

"I didn't do anything. Why do these children keep
crying?" He was holding her as far away from his body as
possible as her screams became more like howls.

"Give her to me." B'Elanna took the baby and
held her to her chest. The baby quieted down instantly and
B'Elanna went back to Seven.

"Lana," Seven whispered as the Klingon leaned
against the bed. "She is hungry." She wrapped her arm
around B'Elanna's waist and looked up expectantly.

"I well I don't know how,"
B'Elanna admitted. She looked down at her daughter who was
smacking her lips and sucking on her fist.

"I'll show you." Nara moved alongside the
Klingon.

The Doctor looked on expectantly.

"You, out," B'Elanna said to the Doctor and she
pointed to his office. "And I want a privacy screen up
too."

"I am a Doctor, not a voyeur," he said indignantly.

"Out," B'Elanna said. The stains on her gown
expanded and she felt milk running down her belly.

"Fine," the Doctor said as he headed toward his
office. "Opaca, may I have a word with you?" he asked,
pausing to pick up the medical tricorder.

"Of course," she said. "Seven, I don't
want you getting up until I clear you, is that understood?"

"Yes," Seven said without turning around. She was
staring at her wife and daughter and barely heard the
hologram's comment.

Kathryn Janeway caught her chin before it hit her chest. It
wouldn't do for the captain to fall asleep on her own
bridge. She casually glanced over at Chakotay; he was fighting to
keep his eyelids open. She cleared her throat, and her First
Officer sat up a little straighter.

"Commander, I'll be in my ready room if you need
me," she said as she began to stand.

*"Torres to the bridge "* B'Elanna
said over the comm

Janeway leaned back into her chair and tapped her comm panel.
"Lieutenant?" she asked. "I thought you were off
duty?" Janeway smiled.

*"Yes, ma'am,"* B'Elanna said.
*"Permission to add a name to the ship's
manifest?"* she asked.

"Who did you have in mind?" Janeway asked. She was
curious since Tach and his family had already been officially
added to the ship's manifest.

"I think I'm going to need at least a visual
inspection before I can approve that." Kathryn's eyes
sparkled. "Are you near a comm panel?"

*"Yes, ma'am,"* B'Elanna said.

"On screen," Janeway said as she spun toward Harry
Kim.

"Coming in now," Harry said with a huge grin.

"Captain," B'Elanna said as her image filled
the screen. She was in the Doctor's office, leaning against
his desk. "This is Kayla Erin Torres." She held up the
tiny bundle toward the screen. Kayla was sleeping and her fist
was planted firmly in her mouth. Her hair was not as dark as it
had first looked when wet, and B'Elanna stared down at it.
It was light brown with red highlights. She shifted Kayla in her
arms and the baby yawned and crinkled her ridged brow.
"Kayla, this is your Captain," she whispered.

"Permission granted," Janeway said, her voice thick
with emotion. "But, I think I need a personal
inspection," she added with a smirk.

"Of course," B'Elanna said without looking up.

"How's Seven?" Janeway asked.

"She's fine." B'Elanna looked up and
smiled. "She's tired, but fine."

"Is she up for visitors?" Chakotay asked. He was
leaning forward, trying to get a better look at the newest
arrival.

"I think Kayla would be thrilled to have some
visitors," B'Elanna said. "But don't expect
Seven to be awake."